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Coleman Exponent Backpacker’s Table & Gear System
Initial Report - October 3, 2005
Contents
Reviewer Information [return to top]
Name: Chuck Kime
Nickname: Fuzzy
Age: 39
Gender: Male
Height: 5' 8" (1.72 m)
Weight: 229 lb (104 kg)
Email address: ckime AT nelsononline DOT com
City, State, Country: Upper Darby (Philadelphia suburb), PA, U.S.A.
Date: October 3, 2005
Additional Information applicable to this test
Boy Scout leaders tend to *love* camp ‘gadgets’, and this table is no exception. As a new hammocker (I will be testing the Crib LEX for BGT), I am also searching for a way to store my pack – especially my larger, ‘winter’ pack – while in my hammock. Since I need trees to hang my hammock, I should always have one available for the table.
Product Information [return to top]
Manufacturer: Coleman
Model: Backpacker’s Table & Gear System
Year of Manufacture: 2005
URL: http://www.coleman.com
Listed weight: 20 oz (567 g)
Measured weight: 28.4 oz (805 g), scale accurate to 0.1 oz
Color: Mostly black
MSRP: $14.99 US
Features/claims (from web site) [return to top]
- Unique table and gear system weighs only 20 ounces
- Rolls-up to fit compactly into backpack
- Table holds up to 25 pounds
- Use gear hooks to hold up to four backpacks or other gear off the ground
- Gear hooks and strap hold up to 50 pounds
- Strap adjusts to fit most trees
Arrival [return to top]
The set arrived undamaged on September 26, 2005, in a standard retail-labeled corrugated box measuring 16 x 4 x 3½ in (41 x 10 x 9 cm). Inside the box I found a black stuff sack containing the set, which includes: one (1) webbing strap with buckle, four (4) aluminum hooks, one (1) lantern hanger, one (1) folding tabletop, two (2) table support cords, and two (2) table support rods/rails. Also included was a single letter-size sheet containing instructions (with diagrams) and warranty information.
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Description [return to top]
The Backpacker’s Table & Gear System, part of Coleman’s Exponent line, is meant to provide the user with a convenient, lightweight table as well as a place to hang some gear off the ground. All that should be required – besides the parts in the set – is a tree of sufficient diameter to keep the table stable and up to the task of holding up the weight. The individual components are described below, followed by assembly/use directions and a table of dimensions (components are listed in the order they appear in the provided instructions).
Strap and buckle:
The strap is green webbing, with a spring-loaded buckle at one end. The strap gets wrapped around a tree – as tightly as possible – and the aluminum hooks slipped on to allow hanging of gear, a lantern, and/or the table.
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Aluminum hooks:
The four (4) hooks are natural finished aluminum and appear (to me) to be designed for use with either end up, depending on how they are to be hung – either from a strap or a nail/screw/hook. With this set they are used with the widest end up, allowing them to slip over the strap after it has been buckled around a tree.
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Lantern hanger:
The lantern hanger is cadmium plated (I think) steel and is meant to be inserted into one of the aluminum hooks to provide a hanging point for a lantern. There is no locking mechanism to hold the hanger in place other than gravity. I am concerned that a tree with a significant taper could create a situation where the hanger is installed at an angle that does not securely hold a lantern at the hooked end, resulting in the lantern sliding down the hanger and into the tree, possibly with enough force to cause damage to the lantern.
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Folding tabletop:
The tabletop is made from four (4) black plastic panels held together by elastic cord. It stores fan-folded, but easily opens flat for use. The outer panels are marked with Exponent logos, but all panels are otherwise identical. Each panel has a ½ in (1.5 cm) wide slot under each end, allowing the support bars to slide through and create a stable tabletop.
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Support cords:
The black cords slip through keyhole slots in the ends of the support bars, where they are held in place by simple overhand knots in the cord ends, then wrap twice around the aluminum hooks to provide support for the table.
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Support bars:
The black painted steel bars, with their keyhole slots at each end, slip through slots in the tabletop panels, providing both stable support for the top and attachment points for the support cords.
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Stuff sack:
The black nylon stuff sack, which is sewn with a square bottom, has a black draw cord and toggle. It is marked on the outside with the Coleman logo, and I find it to be larger than necessary to hold all of the parts of the set.
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Directions:
* Buckle the strap tightly around the tree.
* Slip the aluminum hooks onto the strap, remembering that two (2) of them will be supporting the table.
* Open the tabletop and slip the support bars through the slots.
* Slip the knotted ends of the support cords through the keyhole slots in the support bars. Wrapping the cords twice around the bars (towards the table) will help keep the knots from slipping out.
* Wrap each cord twice around an aluminum hook, and adjust them both until the table sits flat.
Note: Although the web site claims a capacity of 50 lb (23 kg) for the strap and hooks, and 25 lb (11.5 kg) for the table, the instructions state that not more than 30 lb (13.5 kg) should be placed on a single hook, and not more than 20 lb (9 kg) should be placed on the table.
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WEIGHTS AND MEASUREMENTS
| COMPONENT |
WEIGHT |
MEASUREMENTS |
| Strap and buckle |
2.4 oz (68 g) |
1 x 80 in (2.5 x 203 cm), plus buckle |
| Aluminum hooks (4) |
3.0 oz (85 g), total |
3¼ x 1¼ x ½ in (8 x 3 x 1 cm), each |
| Lantern hanger |
1.7 oz (48 g) |
13¾ in (35 cm) long, |
| tabletop |
16.5 oz (468 g) |
15 x 2¾ x 1¾ in (38 x 7 x 4 cm) folded
15 x 11 x 3/8 in (38 x 28 x 1 cm) open |
| Support cords (2) |
0.2 oz (6 g), total |
~36 in (93 cm) long, |
| Support bars (2) |
4.2 oz (119 g), total |
12¼ x ½ in (31 x 1 cm), each |
| Stuff sack |
1.4 oz (40 g) |
16 x 8 in (40 x 20 cm), when flat |
| Totals |
28.4 oz (805 g) |
- - - |
| Complete Set |
20 oz (567 g) claimed
30 oz (850 g) actual |
~16 in (40 cm) long, ~3 in (8 cm) dia |
| Note: The discrepancy between the "Totals" line and the "Complete Set" line in this chart can be attributed to rounding of the numbers, not any error on anyone's part. |
First Impressions [return to top]
I got pretty much what I was expecting based on viewing the website. It is a lightweight plastic table for lightweight usage that seems portable enough for a backpacker who wants a little convenience without too much of a weight penalty.
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Field Information [return to top]
Our Boy Scout troop camps monthly, generally in the wooded areas of southeastern Pennsylvania and the Pocono Mountains. Almost all of these outings include a minimum of 2 nights of camping, with temperatures expected to be from lows around 30 ºF (-1 ºC) to highs around 90 ºF (32 ºC) during the 4-month test period. Elevations will range from sea level to approximately 1,000’ (305 m). Our new Scoutmaster has added monthly hikes to our schedule as well. My fiancée and I, who between us have 3 First Class boy scouts (ages 14, 14 and 15), are also looking into additional camping without the scouts, and there are possibilities of some AT section hikes in Pennsylvania with my son as he works towards the Hiking Merit Badge.
As someone who has handled 100 lb loads over rough terrain (thanks to my Uncle Sam), and now gets by with well under 30, I am *occasionally* willing to add a little weight for convenience and creature comfort. Simply having a place to set small items – or my dinner – can be a welcome thing after a long day.
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Things I am/will be looking for:
- Ease/speed of set-up. Can I get it up easily? When I’m tired? When it’s dark out (I prefer to know all of my gear by touch)? How long does it take?
- Trees. Minimum size? Maximum size? Are some barks better than others (i.e. slippage)?
- Load capability. Can the table handle the rated 25 lb? Can the hardware handle the rated 50 lb?
- Durability. This includes the cords and tree strap(s)/hardware, as well as the table and any hinge materials. Can the table handle hot items (my stove/cookset)?
- Packability. This will be packed as part of my 3-season load in my Deuter Futura 32, or my winter load in my Gregory Z-Pack. Does it fit fully in the Deuter? Does it need to be strapped on? If so, can it be?
- Safety. Do I need to worry about sharp edges damaging my other gear when packed?
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My findings so far:
- Ease/speed of set-up. Lots of parts. This will likely take some practice.
- Load capability. Well, the web site and directions contradict on the capacity. This will need to be investigated.
- Durability. I’m thinking placing my stove directly on the plastic table will not be a good idea.
- Packability. It should certainly fit in my larger pack, but will be a snug fit in the Deuter with a colder-weather load.
- Safety. The stuff sack seems heavy enough that I shouldn’t need to worry, but time will tell.
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Things I like [return to top]
- It will be nice to have a table and gear hooks when using a hammock.
- Packs fairly small, considering its deployed size.
Things I don't like [return to top]
- Might not be good for cooking on with a beverage-can stove.
- 50% heavier than claimed.
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Backpacking Background [return to top]
My family started car/trailer camping when I was about 5. I spent 17 years in the Army Reserve fine-tuning my packing methodology – when I got out I was down to a fairly respectable 75-80 lb (34-36 kg) load in my ALICE pack. Advancing age, arthritic knees and a car accident have led me to seriously rethink my gear choices, experiment with tarps and hammocks, make some of my own gear, and take a closer look at my ‘toys’ with an eye for multi-use and light weight. I now have a sub-30 lb (14 kg) 3-season load, and should be able to reduce it to 20 lb (9 kg) – before food, fuel and water – without much more effort.
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Thank you for your time.
Chuck Kime
a.k.a. Fuzzy
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